Washing machines, notably laundry machines



Oct. 22, 1968 M. M. A. TROUILHET 3,406554'3' WASHING MACHINES, NOTABLY LAUNDRY MACHINES Filed Jan. 20, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNvENToF? NAUR/CEM/IR/E AcH/LLE7kou/L HET Oct. 22, 1968 M. M. A. TROUILHET 3,406,543

WASHING MACHINES, NOTABLY LAUNDRY MACHINES Filed Jan. 20, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v //y vENTCv? MAURICE MARIEACHILLEWQOUILHET 4 TTORNEVS Oct. 22, 1968 WASHING Filed Jan. 20, 1967 M. M. A. TROUILHET 3,406,543

MACHINES, NOTABLY LAUNDRY MACHINES 4 Sheets$heet 5 INVENTOR MA URICE MflR/EACH/L L EYbouu. HE'T Oct. 22, 1968 M. M. A. TROUILHET 3,406,543

WASHING MACHINES, NOTABLY LAUNDRY MACHINES Filed Jan. 20, 1967 4 Sheets Sheet 4 /NVEN'TOF? MAURICE MAP/EA CHIL L ETRO LI/L H57 2 A T ZZPNEYS United States Patent O 3,406,543 WASHING MACHINES, NOTABLY LAUNDRY MACHINES Maurice Marie Achille Trouilhet, Lyon, France, assignor to Calor Appareils Electro-Domestiques, Lyon, France, a company of France Filed Jan. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 610,628 Claims priority, application France, Jan. 24, 1966 11 Claims. icl. 68-132) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention essentially relates to a washing machine, notably for linen, of the type comprising a vat containing the linen, said vat having disposed in the vicinity of its bottom and rotatably driven for relatively slow rotation a wheel constituting a large-diameter turbine .which extends over the greater part of the vat bottom The present invention has essentially for its object a washing machine, notably for linen, which is of a very novel design and of very simple and economical construction.

Conventional laundry machines may be divided into several groups, according as:

They utilize a central reciprocating drum;

They utilize a drum driven either for continuous rotation or for rotary alternating motion;

They utilize a turbine revolving at high speed for strongly stirring the wash water;

They utilize a large-diameter turbine revolving at low speed in the vicinity of the bottom of the vat and rotatably driven from a shaft extending through the bottom of said vat, this shaft being rotatably driven through a reduction gearing from a motor mounted under the vat.

A washing machine according to this invention departs considerably from these known types of washing machines.

A washing machine according to this invention comprises a vat containing the linen to be washed, a turbineforming wheel of relatively large diameter disposed near the bottom of said vat and rotatably driven at a relatively low speed, said wheel covering nearly the whole of the bottom surface of said vat and revolving in a substantially horizontal plane, this machine being characterised in that said wheel is rotatably mounted on a pivot pin journalled in a bearing rigid with a detachable supporting plate anchored to the vat bottom by means of lugs and ribs or the like, said wheel being rotatably driven through a train of gears or the like from a substantially vertical drive shaft dipping into the vat, the upper end of said shaft emerging from the top portion of said vat and being drivingly connected to the shaft of an electric driving motor.

-It is clear that under these conditions the water and the linen contacting the stirring wheel are stirred with force although at low speed, the water being agitated sufficiently to penetrate the fibres of the fabric to be cleaned and simultaneously exert on these fabrics a mechanical frictional action produced either with one another 3,406,543 Patented Oct. 22,

or against the stirring wheel proper. The cleaning action thus obtained is particularly eflicient and linen wear is minimized. u I

With the arrangement according to this invention it is also obvious that any fluid-tight passages leading into the vat, as well as any sealing joints for driving the movable members, can be dispensed with, since all driving members are immersed. Thus, the constructionof the machine is greatly simplified. On the other hand the electric driving motor is protected against accidental splashing.

According to another feature of this invention the aforesaid electric driving motor is housed in a case of which the top constitutes at least one portion of the lid of the machine, this case resting upon and fitting on the upper edge of the vat; a stub shaft of the driving motor or of a lay-shaft of a reduction gearing driven from said motor, emerges from the lower portion of said case and comprises a coupling member coacting with a corresponding coupling member provided at the upper end of the aforesaid driving shaft. Advantageously, in the inoperative position of the machine the aforesaid case and the motor enclosed therein are removed from the top of the machine and placed upside down in another portion of the vat where at least the greater part of this driving unit is housed in the vat. Under these condition the overall dimensions of the machine are greatly reduced.

According to another feature of this invention, a pipe is provided in the bottom of the vat and leads to the outside; this pipe is connected for example to a flexible hose and permits of filling and draining the vat; these filling and draining operations are thus accomplished from the bottom of the vat without requiring any cock or stop valve, the valve effect being obtained by simply raising the flexible hose for example against the vat and securing this hose thereagainst by means of a clamp or the like. On the other hand, the rinsing action is particularly satisfactory since it can be effected continuously by supplying clear water to the bottom of the vat and draining off the used water from the top.

To this end, and according to another feature characterising this invention, the plane comprising the top edge of the vat is somewhat inclined with respect to the horizontal plane normally supporting the vat during the operation of the machine.

According to another feature of this invention, the vat and the greater part of the component elements of the machine, except of course the electric driving motor, are made of synthetic moulded materials such as thermoplastic injection materials for example of the polyamid or polyolefin types.

Other features of this invention will appear as the following detailed description proceeds with reference to the attached drawings given by way of example only and wherein:

FIGURE 1 shows a complete elevational view with parts broken away of a washing machine according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1, this section being taken substantially upon the line IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view with parts broken away in a plane substantially parallel to the sectional plane of FIGURE 2, the machine driving motor being shown in its stowed or inoperative position;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view from above of the machine of whichthe driving motor and'the top lid have been removed;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the stirring wheel used in this machine;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view with parts broken away showing a detail of the mutual engagement between the top portion of the motor case and a plate constitut- FIGURE 7 is a detail view with parts broken away showing the rotary mounting of the stirring wheel;

FIGURE 8 is a section taken upon the line VIIIVIII of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 shows a detail of a modified form of embodiment of the coacting coupling members of the driving motor shaft, and of the shaft for rotatably driving the stirring wheel.

According to a specific form of embodiment illustrated in the drawings a machine according to this invention comprises essentially a vat 1 having in horizontal crosssection a substantially rectangular configuration with rounded corners, asshown more particularly in FIGURE 4. This vat is made of any suitable material such as moulded synthetic material, such as injection thermoplastic material for example of the polyamid or polyolefin type. The vat 1 comprises on its underface a projecting rib 2 providing a supporting plane for the vat so that the latter can be laid upon a plane surface, for example the bottom of a sink. 7

Mounted in close vicinity of the bottom of this vat is a spoked wheel 3 illustrated more in detail in FIGURE this wheel is rotatably mounted about its pivot pin 4 on a support 5 adequately secured to the vat bottom.

This wheel 3 comprises for example on its lower face a circular set of teeth 6 for driving the wheel by means of a pinion 7 rigid with a driving shaft 8. This shaft 8 has its lower end trunnioned in a bearing 9 formed in the member 5 also acting as a bearing to the pivot pin 4 of wheel 3. At its upper end the shaft 8 is rotatably driven by a free end 10a of the shaft 10 of an electric driving motor 11. This driving motor 11 is mounted in a case 12 formed at its lower portion with a groove 13 of concave configuration, corresponding in shape to and adapted to engage at least one portion of, the top convex edge 14 of vat 1.

At its lower portion the vat comprises a pipe 15 leading to the outside and connected to a flexible hose 16. This hose 16 comprises in the vicinity of its free end a clamp 17 whereby the hose can be attached in an upper position to the top edge 14 of vat 1 for example with the assistance of a ring 18 provided to this end at the top of the vat 1.

The shaft 8 is driven from the shaft 10 of motor 11 by simply providing coupling means of the male splined type on the end portion 10a of shaft 10 and a corresponding female splined sleeve (visible notably in FIGURE 4) at the corresponding upper end of shaft 8.

The member 5 supporting the wheel 3 is simply detachably fastened to the bottom of vat 1 for example under a rib 19 provided to this end in the vicinity of the bottom of said vat, and also to a member 20 constituting a fitting plug welded or otherwise fastened to the bottom of said vat. Therefore, the member 5 is detachable like all the essential component elements of the machine.

The mounting of the pivot pin 4 of wheel 3 in the corresponding bearing 21 of support 5 is particularly simple, as evidenced for example in FIGURES 7 and 8, by means of a lock or spring washer 22 fitting in a grooved portion 23 of pivot pin 4.

A protection partition 24 of a shape visible more particularly in FIGURES 2 and 4 isolates the shaft 8 from the main chamber 25 of the vat in which the washing operation proper is to be carried out. This partition 24 also carries at its lower portion a small projection or lip 26 somewhat overlapping the wheel 3 in the portion thereof driven by the pinion 7.

The case 12 of motor 11 comprises on one side a projecting ledge 27 visible more particularly in FIGURE 6, engageable by one end of a half-lid 28 adapted in conjuction with said case 12 to close completely the top surface of the vat, as shown in FIGURE 2. This half-lid 28 may be provided to this end with teeth or cut-off portions f; i. 29 engageable in corresponding notches or indentations 30 of the portion 27 of case 12.

At its lower portion, as shown in FIGURE 2, the casing 12 comprises of course partition means preventing the water contained in the vat 1 from penetrating into the compartment housing the motor 11.

Advantageously, all the parts so far described, except the electric driving motor 11, may be made of moulded synthetic material such as notably an injected thermoplastic materials The case-12 comprises in the vicinity of said groove 13 a ledge 13' whereby the case 12 and motor 11 enclosed therein can be laid upside down, as shown in FIGURE 3 at the opposite end of the vat (stowed position), the halflid 28 thus closing the other top half of the vat, that is, substantially the portion covered by the casing 12 in FIG- URE 2. a

The top plane of vat 1 is inclined and comprises on the lowermost lateral wall 32 of the-vat which is opposite to the uppermost lateral wall 33 a hollow portion 34 constituting a discharge or overflow means.

The top surfaces of case 12 and lid 28 are inclined to facilitate the dripping of the washed linen.

The driving motor 11 is cooled by circulating air sucked through the louvres 35 of the wall of case 12 by a centrifugal fan 36, the air circulation following the path shown by the arrows in FIGURE 2.-The air thus stirred by the fan 36 is ejected laterally. through other louvres provided to this end in the wall of case 12 substantially in the plane of rotation of fan 36. Advantageously, the blades of fan 36 and the driving end 10a of the corresponding section 8a of shaft 8 are formed as an integral unit and consist for example of moulded thermoplastic material or the like. The fan 36 and the driving end 10a are in this case force-fitted or screwed or otherwise secured to the rotary shaft 10 of motor 11.

This motor 11 is preferably of the split-pole low-power, asynchronous type. It is mounted for example on four legs 37 moulded integrally with the part 31 constituting the half-lid supporting the motor 11 and the lower half of case 12 (as evidenced in FIGURE 2) closed by'the top cover 38.

The reference numeral 39 (FIGURE 1) designates a control knob or timer which may be provided for. controlling the washing operations.

In FIGURE 2 it will be further noted that the circular set of teeth 6 for driving the wheel 3 has its upper portion concealed and protected by a lip 40 preventing the linen from contacting these teeth. 1

Moreover, it will be noted in FIGURE 2 that the lips 41 provided at the lower portion of member 31 supporting the motor 11 act as bafiie means in conjunction with the upper outfiared portion 42 of shaft 8 to prevent any water splash from interfering with the motor operation. This outfiared portion 42 is also advantageous in that it facilitates the introduction of the coupling end 10a'of motor shaft 10 into the corresponding splined socket 8a driving the shaft 8.

The operation of the machine is obvious from the above description.

After having filled the vat 1 with a suitable amount of water, depending upon the quantity of linen to be washed the driving motor 11 is started, thus rotatably driving the wheel 3 which, on account notably of the specific shape given to its relatively thick spokes 43 (FIG- URE 5) shaped to ensure a strongstirring of the water and linen, acts somewhat in the fashion of a turbine to properly mix up the water and the dose of detergent contained therein. After a short time, the linen to be washed is gradually introduced into the vat from the top of the machine of which the half lid 28 has been removed to this end.

Due to the relatively slow rotation of the wheel 3, and also to the specific configuration of the vat 1, the linen is strongly stirred and frictioned as a consequence either of the turbulenceimpressed to thewashingwater by the turbine and the projecting portions thereof, or of the rectangular configuration with rounded corners of the vat in conjunction with the circularshap'e :of the stirring wheel. However, as these movements are relatively slow; the linen is exposed but tothe minimum degree of wear as its fibres are not-subjected to any excessive torsional and tractive stresses. i H

"After'afew minute's thismechanical action is' sufficient to efliciently wash the linen. Then 'the motor is stopped and the operator may either extract'the linen 'and use the same water for another washing operation, or immediately rinse the previously washed linen without resorting to any further handling thereof.

In this last instance the hose 16 is lowered in order to drain out the wash water; at the end of this operation the rinsing water is introduced into the vat after having raised the hose 16. This introduction of rinsing water may be effected either through the same hose 16 connected to a suitable water mains cock, or through the top portion of the machine by raising the half-lid 28.

When the vat is filled and about to overflow at 34, the motor 11 is started and the vat allowed to. receive clear water and discharge the surplus water through the overfiow device 34, the rinsing operation taking place continuously until it is satisfactory, which may take a few minutes. I

Alternately, a number of separate rinsing operations may be accomplished by filling each time the vat with clear water, stirring by means of the motor 11, and stopping the latter for draining the vat completely.

When the rinsing is deemed satisfactory, the'yat is drained and the linen extracted therefrom after having been roughly wrung by pulling it out between the lip 44 (FIGURES l and 2) of lid 28 and the wall of the overflow ledge 34 of vat 1.

It will be noted that the vat may be filled with linen and water up to the desired level, or that the desired quantity of linen can be washed, of course without overstepping the total capacity of the machine, provided that the corresponding amount of water and detergent is introduced into the vat; in all cases the mechanical action produced by the stirring wheel will always prove adequately efi'icient.

Various modifications may be brought to the specific forrri of embodiment described hereinabove.

Thus, as shown in the detail view of FIGURE 9, the fan 36 with its driving nose or end 10a is not directly solid with the driving shaft 10 of the motor, but is mounted on this shaft through the medium of a helical compression spring 45 and a fastening-member 46 so as to constitute a flexible torsion coupling. Thus, if thereaction torque of the machine, that is, of the wheel3, when the machine is started, exceeds the driving torque of the motor 11, the latter will start nevertheless by winding up the spring 45.

In another modified form of embodiment the wheel 3 may be driven differently, for example by means of a friction roller or the like drivingly engaging-the rim of wheel 3 instead of by the meshing engagement'of teeth. This is advantageousin that-it permits the rotation of motor 11 by simply causing the driving rollerto' slide on the rim of wheel 3 in-case of jamming of this wheel.

Similarly, a train of reduction gears may be provided for gearing'down the velocityof rotation of the motor shaft 10.

If desired, a grid G adapted to be suspended from adequate bosses B provided to this end on the lower wall of vat 1 may be provided above the wheel 3 to permit the washing of delicate pieces of linen such as undergarments, etc. which should preferablybe proteeted'from a direct mechanical stirring by the wheel 3. This grid would simply be laid in close proximity and above the wheel 3, so that a smoother washing action 'by simply stirring the washing water is obtained. This detachable grid will advantageously be used only for accomplishing such delicate washing operations.

Inany case the construction of a machine according to this invention is extremely simple and completelyfree of any fluid-tight passages through the wall of the vat for driving any movable members, and this machine is not only very convenient in use but also remarkably efiicient. v Of course, this invention should not be construed as being limited by the specific forms of embodiment described and illustrated herein, as these are given by way of example only. Thus, notably by utilizing a grid overlying the rotary stirring wheel, the machine can be used for other purposes, for example for washing dishes. In this case, the dishes are advantageously disposed in a suitable basket or drip tray adapted to hold the various pieces to be washed at a proper relative spacing. These baskets or trays may if desired be suspended or hooked at different levels in the vat.

What I claim is:

1. Washing machine, notably for linen, of the type comprising a vat containing the linen, said vat having disposed in the vicinity of its bottom and rotatably driven for relatively slow rotation a wheel constituting a largediameter turbine which extends over the greater part of the vat bottom and revolves in a substantially horizontal plane, this machine comprising the improvements consisting in that said wheel is rotatably mounted about a pivot pin in a bearing solid with a detachable supporting plate fastened to the bottom of said vat by means of lugs, ribs or like means, said wheel being rotatably driven through the medium of gear means from a substantially vertical driving shaft dipping into the vat, the upper end of said shaft emerging from the top portion of the vat and coacting with the shaft of an electric driving motor disposed above the vat.

2. Machine according to claim 1, wherein said wheel comprises, in the vicinity of its outer periphery, driving means as teeth or the like for rotatably gearing with a pinion or disk of relatively small diameter mounted in the vicinity of the lower end of said shaft which is disposed in close proximity of a lateral wall of said vat.

3. Machine according to claim 2, wherein said electric motor is housed in a case of which the top portion constitutes at least one portion of the lid of the machine, said top portion of the case being adapted to be laid upon and to fit on the top edge of said vat, said motor having a stub shaft emerging from the lower portion of said case and said stub shaft being provided with coupling portions adapted drivingly to engage corresponding coupling portions provided at the upper end of the driving shaft, said case and motor being adapted in the inoperative position of the machine to be removed from the top of the machine and placed upside down in another location of the vat where they extend at least for the greater part into said vat.

4. Machine according to claim 3, wherein said coupling means are of the splined socket and shaft type.

5. Machine according to claim 3, wherein the upper portion of said motor case constitutes an inclined plane on which the linen may be allowed to drip.

6. Machine according to claim 2 wherein grid means are provided for isolating the linen from the immersed members driving the stirring wheel, notably the pinion and driving shaft, and possibly from the stirring wheel proper.

7. Machine according to claim 1 wherein a pipe is provided in the bottom of said vat and leads to the outside, the outer end of said pipe being connected to a flexible hose to permit the filling and draining of the vat.

8. Machine according to claim 1 wherein said vat has a rib-forming lower projection of which the lower edge constitutes a plane for supporting the machine, and an overflow upper edge, the plane of the top edge of the vat being inclined with respect to the lower edge of said rib-forming lower projection supporting the machine and which is normally substantially horizontal.

9. Machine according to claim 8 wherein the horizontal cross-sectional contour of said vat is substantially rectangular with rounded corners and said vat is made from moulded synthetic material the upper edge of the vat being reinforced.

10. Machine according to claim 3, wherein a half-lid is adapted to coact with said motor case for covering completely the machine in both its operative and inoperative positions.

11. Machine according to claim 1 wherein said stirring wheel is substantially in the form of a spoked wheel having relatively thick spokes shaped to ensure a proper stirring of the water.

8 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 112,603 3/1871 Kin-g 68-133 X 1,735,391 11/1929 Herbert 68-132 3,265,369 8/1966 Harrison 6819,6 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 139,454 11/ 1950 Australia.

1,037,026 4/ 1953 France.

1,370,739 7/1964 France. 368,245 2/1939 Italy. 147,573 11/1962 Russia.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner. 

